Far away
by MrsHJBlack
Summary: Ethan and Cal have the worst fight they've ever had. How will Cal cope when he has to treat an injured Ethan soon after. Warnings: Mpreg and mentions of incest. Nothing explicit. I don't own anything. For the sake of this story, Mpreg is rare but completely possible.


Last Chance

_**Title taken from Nickelback's Far Away. Some lyrics are used to describe certain scenes. I apologise for any mistakes I've made.**_

* * *

><p>Doctor Ethan Hardy stood in the staff room of Holby City Emergency Department, looking through his phone, thinking about the fight he had that morning with his brother, and, on occasion, lover, Cal.<p>

_**Flashback**_

"_I can't keep doing this," Ethan said, as he stood in the kitchen of his flat, leaning against the counter._

"_Do what?" Cal replied, as he sat at the table, looking at his brother, while drinking strong coffee._

"_This. Us. Whatever it is we're doing."_

"_It's just a bit of fun," Cal said with disinterest._

"_Fun?" Ethan repeated unbelievingly. "Cal, you know how I feel."_

"_Remind me," Cal said coldly, as he leant back in his chair._

"_You really want me to say it?" Ethan said in anger. "Fine! I'm in love with you! And I know how wrong that it, and I know you could never feel the same about me. I understand. If I'm honest, I'd be happy with any amount of love I can get from my big brother, but even the smallest amount is beyond you."_

"_That's not fair," Cal said with a bite._

"_No, I'll tell you what's not fair," Ethan said as he continued in anger. "What's not fair is dealing with an absent father, a brother who kept disappearing and reappearing whenever he felt like it, and a sick mother, all while going through med school, and I had to do all of that on my own. And now, Dad's still gone, Mum's dead, and you, the only time I see you outside of work is when you want something." _

_He sighed, and his tone grew tired. "I'm tired, Caleb. I'm tired of always being alone, and I'm tired of you using me every time you have a bad day. You never think about how I feel. I know with what we're doing, it doesn't seem like it, but I'm still your brother."_

"_I wish you weren't," came the cold reply._

"_What?"_

"_You heard me," Cal answered as he stared at his younger brother. "I've lost track of how long I've wished I wasn't related to you."_

_The kitchen was silent for a moment, before Ethan asked hesitantly, "Is that really how you feel?"_

"_Yes."_

_Ethan took a calming breath. "Fine." He moved away from the counter and headed towards the stairs. "I've got to get ready for work." He kept his head low, as tears threatened to fall. "You can let yourself out."_

_Cal stood from the table. "Eth …"_

_Ethan heard the call but ignored as he made his way to the bedroom._

_**End Flashback**_

Ethan shook away his thoughts, as his boss, Connie Beauchamp walked in. "The map of St Stephen's," she said as she placed the map on the counter in front of him. "I want to be on the road in 10 minutes," she told him before walking out again.

"Ah, great," Ethan replied as she walked away. "I've actually got SatNav on my phone."

Robyn appeared in the doorway. "You let get to go on your jollies and I got a burst colostomy bag, and it's not even 9 o'clock."

"I'd rather have the colostomy bag," Ash told her.

"Need I remind you," Connie said as she appeared in the doorway again, "how important this is."

"Telling a failing hospital how it's done," Ash noted. "They're going to love us."

"Actually, we are sharing our expertise to raise standards across the NHS, which by the way is a condition for additional funding," Connie said, before leaving again.

"I'll speak when I'm spoken to," Ash told them.

* * *

><p>Ethan stood in reception, reading through a file, when Cal walked over. He noticed the keys in Ethan's hand.<p>

"Wow, they're letting you drive," Cal said mockingly. "Obviously in no rush."

"Oh yes," Ethan replied, "I'd forgot the ability to push an accelerator to the floor is one of the key signs of manliness."

Cal stood there for a moment, watching his brother, before he said, "Eth, about this morning …"

"Forget about it," Ethan interrupted. "It doesn't matter."

Cal nodded stiffly, as his tone went cold. "Remember, out funding depends on this, so let's make sure your little stutter doesn't make a guest appearance, alright?"

Ethan slams the file closed, and walked away. Cal watched his brother leave, before turning to look at the waiting area, and noticed a familiar woman.

"You know," Max said as he appeared beside, "as a doctor you can go right over and talk to a patient."

"Some say that even helps," Noel added from behind the reception desk.

Cal looked at them. "Haven't you guys got, um, phones to answer or floors to clean? Other people to annoy."

"No," the two men said simultaneously.

Cal ignores them as he walks.

* * *

><p>"I'm not saying I wanted to go," Robyn was saying to Lofty, as they stood behind the desk in cubicles.<p>

"Alright," Charlie said as he walked in, carrying a cupcake. "We've got work to do."

"Yeah, but we can still have a laugh while we're doing it," Rita told him, as she took the cupcake. "Ok, I present to you the consolation cupcake. Whoever has the worst shift gets the cupcake."

"Oh well, it's obviously me," Robyn said. "Mr. Roger's colostomy bag."

"It's a clean slate," Rita told her. "Starting now."

"It's gonna be me, isn't it?" Lofty said downhearted. "Fall over a trolley, or knock over a bucket or something."

"I will be the judge of that," Rita said to him. "My decision is final." She looked around at everyone. "You may spread the word."

"Whose birthday is it?" Cal asked as he walked in and made a grab for the cupcake.

"You've got to earn that," Rita said.

"You do know there's loads of them in the shop."

"Yes, but this one's special."

"It's got my name on it," Lofty told him.

"This is one of those nurse things that I just don't get, isn't it?" Cal asked.

"Alright," Charlie interrupted, as he placed a jug over the top of the cupcake. "Back to work. Don't let that," he pointed at the cake, "be a distraction."

* * *

><p>In the car park, outside the main entrance, Ethan sat in the driver's seat of a minibus, as he went over the controls and buttons. He accidentally turned on the windscreen wipers.<p>

"Hey, watch it," Lily shrieked as the wipers splashed her.

"So sorry," Ethan said, "just trying to familiarize myself with the doodars." BEEP "Well, I've got the horn."

"He can do a rapid sequence intubation," Ash said as he got into the front passenger seat, "but a people carrier is beyond him."

Ethan looked at him. "Are you going to sit there?" he asked. "I assumed Mrs. Beauchamp would be in front."

"Because she has longer legs?" Ash asked.

"Because she the boss," Lily answered from behind them.

"I understand the hierarchy, but surely this is a question of leg room, and leg room only."

"Well, it's a brave man that puts her in the back," Ethan told him.

Ash looked in the wing mirror, and saw Connie making her way to the van. "Anything for a quiet life," he said, as he got out. He held the door open for Connie, before joining Lily and Tess in the back.

"It's got everything the standard SatNav has," Ethan was telling Connie as he showed her his phone, "even the turn-by-turn commands."

"Does it have a mute button?" Connie asked with disinterest.

"Er, yes," Ethan answered dejectedly, as he presses a button on his phone, before turning the engine on. "Right, alonzy," he said as began to drive away with a shaky start.

* * *

><p>Cal leant against the desk in cubicles, watching the woman with a young boy, while pretending to read a file.<p>

"Who is she?" Max asked from over his shoulder.

"I'm thinking, in the past, I may have given her a one-to-one consultation."

"Of course."

"What am I missing?" Lofty asked, when he saw them whispering.

"Cal's slept with a patient," Max told him, before Cal had a chance to deny anything.

"Surely one would remember if you've slept with a patient," Lofty said. "It's a 9 year old child. I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with this conversation."

"His mother, Lofty," Cal said. "I think I've slept with his mother."

"She's only been here an hour," Robyn said from behind them.

"It was about 10 years ago, alright?" he picked up a file. "Excuse me. Robyn?" he walked over to the cubicle, followed by Robyn. "Ok, let's have a look at you then." The boy had an arm injury. "How did this happen? Football? Rugby?"

"Climbing frame," the boy said.

"Thought the rubber floors stopped injuries like this," Cal said, "but boys will be boys." He looked at the boy's mother, who didn't seem to be paying any attention to him. "Isn't that right, Mrs. Myles?"

"Yeah," she said distractedly.

"Ok," Cal said as he turned back to his patient. "Let me know if you can feel me squeezing your fingers." He began to squeeze each of his fingers gently. "How about that?"

"Sort of tingly."

"You might've compromised a nerve," Cal told him, "and what's called a supracondylar fracture of the humerus." He turned to Robyn. "Let's start him off with some analgesia and dia-morphine. Once you've done that, take him to x-ray." Once she nodded, Cal turned and went back to the desk.

"Yeah, no, really memorable," Max said as he slapped him on the back.

* * *

><p>"Have we gone over the B2379?" Lily asked, looking at the map, as Ethan drove around country roads.<p>

"Not sure," he replied, as he tried to work out where they were going.

"Reading two pages," Lily said, "so hard to see.

Connie sighed, took out her phone and dialed. "Hello. This is Connie Beauchamp. We are going to be a little late. One of my most promising doctors can't read a map." She then hung up.

"It's not my fault," Lily argued. "The roads aren't where they're supposed to be."

"She's right," Ash said, as he took off his seatbelt and looked at the map over Lily's shoulder. "That map doesn't even have the bypass on it."

"Right," Connie said as she reached behind her for the map. "Give me that."

_BANG_

A jeep suddenly hit the minibus, forcing it to flip on its side.

* * *

><p>Back at the hospital, Cal was making his way back to Tristan's cubicle, when he spotted another familiar, slightly older woman. He turned to Robyn.<p>

"Ok, yep," he said. "Definitely slept with her."

"How d'you know?" Robyn asked.

Cal paused for a second before he answered. "I slept with her mother, too." Robyn laughed in disbelief. "Oh no. This is so gonna kick off." They walked over to the family. "Right. We have the results back. Definitely a fracture and I'm concerned about a compromised nerve. You will need to be taken to theatre."

The boy's mother looked at him in recognition. "Cal?"

Her mother smirked at him. "Hello, Caleb."

* * *

><p>At the crash site, Connie begins to regain consciousness. "Everyone ok?" she asked in concern.<p>

"Yeah," Tess replied.

"My arm," Lily yelled. "Can't feel my arm."

Connie looked over, and saw Ethan hadn't responded and his face was covered in blood. "Ethan?" she called "Can you hear me?" She feels for his pulse. "Pulse is very weak." Connie grabbed her phone and dialed. "Ambulance, please."

"I'm afraid we'll have to wait for the orthopedic surgeon," Cal was telling his patient.

"How long?" Melissa asked in anger. "This isn't good enough."

"Mum, shut up."

"Believe me," Cal said to her, "I'm doing everything in my power to get you out as quickly as possible."

"I'm sorry. Is this a bit difficult for you? Is this embarrassing? Like the moment I walked in on my mother and my boyfriend!"

"I wasn't strictly your boyfriend," Cal stated.

"Are we really gonna go there?"

"He does have a point," Judith said.

Melissa turned to her mother. "Oh yeah, Mum, please back him up. Blame it all on me." She turned back to Cal. "I misunderstood the terms of our relationship. Clearly it was one where you were allowed to sleep with my mother," she retorted before storming away.

"Melissa," Judith called. "You need to let it go." She turned to Cal. "I think we need another session with the therapist after that."

"Therapy?"

"Yeah, three years of it. Not all of it's your fault. Most of it mine, and Tristan … she struggles. He's a handful."

"Aren't all kids?"

"Well, actually, we're in the process of having him assessed, borderline ADHD."

"Must be hard."

"Well, what can I say? He's got his mother's temper. Luckily he has his father's eyes. Listen, thank you." She smiled slightly before walking away.

As her words sank in, a sudden thought hit Cal.

* * *

><p>The road had been sealed as the paramedics arrived. Jeff got out of the ambulance and saw Connie carefully climbing out of the front passenger window.<p>

"It's our lot," he called to Dixie, as he rushed over. "Connie, take your time," he called, as she climbed down onto the road. Jeff took hold of her to keep her steady. "It's Jeff," he said, when she turned to him. "Are you ok?"

"It's the others," Connie told him breathlessly.

"Take me through it," Jeff said, as he made his way to the minibus. "Who's first?" he asked, and saw an unconscious Ethan. "Ethan?"

"Ethan is unconscious, he's trapped and has a slowing heart-rate," Connie told him. "Lily has a suspected break and loss of sensation in the upper arm."

"Dixie," Jeff called behind him, "chase the other unit."

"On it," Dixie called back.

"Ash is trapped," Connie continued, "and has a puncture to the leg."

"Ash!" Jeff called to him. "It's Jeff, mate. How bad are you?"

"I can wait," Ash answered. "Just something to stem the blood if you can. Before you ask, leg's fine."

"Ethan's heart-rate is dropping," Tess told them.

"Tess, you ok?" Jeff asked.

"Yes."

* * *

><p>Cal walked into reception, saw Melissa and walked over to her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I was unprofessional back there."<p>

"I needed your apology 10 years ago," Melissa replied coldly, before she began to walk away.

"Wait," Cal called. She stopped and turned to him. "Um, something your mum said. I'm sure she was just winding me up, but she kind of suggested that I'm …"

"That you're Tristan's dad," Melissa finished for him.

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about it," Melissa reassured him. "He's grown up without a father for this long. He doesn't need you to start being one now."

"So …"

"Think of it as sperm donation," she told him. "That's all it was to me." She walked away. Cal watched her, before going back to cubicles.

Cal saw Tristan sitting alone on the bed. He walked over and sat next to him.

"So, what do you do for fun then, besides falling off climbing frames?" Cal asked.

"Computers and stuff," Tristan replied.

"Nice," Cal said. "Bit of an expert myself as it goes. I used to play with by little brother all the time when we were kids. The games I play these days are probably a bit too old for you, though. Guns and stuff."

"No, I've got all those," Tristan informed him.

"Your mum lets you play those sort of games?"

"She's usually asleep when I play them."

Cal looked at him with suspicion. "What time are you staying up?"

"Two maybe three."

"Right," Cal said in slight concern. "Well, better get that arm fixed. Don't wanna hinder your gaming now, do we?" Cal stood from the bed, and walked towards the desk.

"Keep at it," Robyn said to him. "Families need fathers."

"You know?"

"Well, it doesn't take a genius to work it out."

Cal went to reply, when Charlie walked in with an odd look on his face. He sensed that something was wrong.

"Right, gather 'round everyone," Charlie said quietly. "I need your full attention. I'm afraid there's been a car accident involving our doctors and Tess." Cal's expression turned to shock as he tried to remain calm. "Paramedics are on site, treating casualties, two of which appear to be serious. Driver of the other vehicle is on the way in."

"What about the driver of our vehicle?" Cal asks worriedly.

"That's all I know," Charlie told him. "What I do know is that it's going to be difficult treating our own. I know that we're all going to be a bit worried. Can I ask one thing?" he said as he looked around. "No heroes, alright? If you feel the stress getting to you, that your concentration is slipping, I need to know. There is no shame in sitting this on out. Ok?" He points at Cal and Robyn. "You two with me."

"Charlie," Cal said as he followed. "How serious is it?"

"All I know is what I've just said," Charlie answered, as the three of them made their way to the main entrance.

"How did it happen?" Robyn asked.

"The way it sounds is the other vehicle just swiped them off the road." They walked into the car park and towards the back of the ambulance. "Robyn, take Tess and Lily."

"Connie," Cal said as soon as she stepped out of the ambulance. "How's Ethan?"

"He's stable," she told him, "but trapped."

Cal took a deep breath as he led the driver of the other vehicle into the hospital.

* * *

><p>Jeff leant over the front passenger window, and called to Ethan. "Ethan? It's Jeff, mate. You've been in a car accident. I need you to stay still for me, alright?"<p>

"Let's get this windshield off," a member of the fire crew called.

"Not long, Ethan, we'll have you out," Jeff reassured him, as the windshield was taken off.

"Caleb," Ethan whimpered as Jeff climbed into the minibus through the front window. "Phone … Caleb."

"You can talk to Cal when you get back to the ED," Jeff told him.

"No," Ethan's breathing was getting heavier. "Not going … until I … talk to … Caleb."

Jeff sighed. "Ethan, mate, you're seriously injured. You need to be treated as soon as possible."

"Please."

Jeff sighed again and nodded. "Ok." He took out his phone and dialed the number for the ED.

* * *

><p>"Hobly ED," Louise said when she answered the phone.<p>

"Louise, it's Jeff," said the voice. "Is Cal there?"

"Is everything ok?" she asked.

"Just get Cal, will you? It's important."

"Sure," Louise turned to Noel. "Go and find Cal."

Noel nodded. He left the reception and walked into cubicles. "Cal," he called.

Cal looked up. "Yeah?"

"Phone call for you."

Cal nodded and followed Noel into reception.

Louise sees him and gives him the phone. "It's Jeff," she says.

Cal quickly grabs the phone. "Jeff? Is Ethan ok?"

"Not really, mate," Jeff's voice answers. "He's refusing treatment until he's spoken to you."

"What?" Cal exclaimed. "What's he playing at?"

"I don't know, but his condition is serious and we need to get him out of here as soon as we can. He adamant about speaking to you, and keeps calling you "Caleb".

"He only does that when something's wrong," Cal said as he took a deep breath. "Put him on."

"Cal?" Ethan asked.

"What are you thinking?" Cal asked, with slight fear. "You need to be treated, Ethan, as soon as possible."

"I know," Ethan said.

"Then why are you wasting time?"

"Because … I need … to know."

"Know what?"

Cal could hear Ethan's breath shake slightly as he answered. "If I have … a reason … to get out … of here," Ethan whimpered breathlessly, "or if … you meant … what you said … earlier … about wishing … that we weren't … brothers."

"Ethan," Cal replied in a pained voice, "don't do this."

"Caleb … please … tell me."

Cal took his own shaky breath, closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes, I meant what I said, but not for the reason you think. What I said does not mean you don't have a reason to come back to me."

"I'm … sorry," Ethan whispered.

"Ethan Hardy, you listen to me very carefully," Cal said with force as he opened his eyes again. "You are my brother and despite our many differences, you are the only truly important person I have in my life." He took a deep breath. "I need you to let Jeff treat you, so he can bring you back here. And once you're better we can talk properly, like we should've done years ago, ok?"

"I love you, Caleb."

Cal closed his eyes again as tears threatened to fall. "I love you, too, baby brother."

"He's unconscious," Cal heard Jeff yell, "and his heart-rate's dropping."

The call suddenly cut off.

"Ethan?" Cal called. "Jeff? Jeff!" Unable to get a response, he dropped the phone and ran to the nearest bathroom. He locked himself in one of the stalls before dropping to his knees as tears began to fall.

_**On my knees, I ask**_

_**Last chance for one last dance**_

_**Flashback**_

_Cal walked into the living room, and saw Ethan sitting on the sofa. "Come on, little brother. If you're going to a fancy party then you need to learn to dance properly."_

"_That fancy party is my university graduation," Ethan said as he continued to read his textbook. "And since when were you an expert in dancing?"_

"_Since always," Cal told him cockily, as he reached for Ethan._

"_Cal, don't," Ethan moaned as his brother took away his book and grabbed his hand. "I mean it, Caleb."_

"_You know calling me 'Caleb' never works," he said as he pulled Ethan up from the sofa. "Now let me put some music on and I can help you practice."_

"_Fine," Ethan said. "Let's just get this over with."_

_Cal laughed and puts on a track. The song 'I'll be' by Edwin McCain began to play. Cal turned back to Ethan and held out his hand._

"_Will you do me the honour of this dance?" Cal asked mockingly._

"_If I must," Ethan replied as he rolled his eyes and took Cal's hand._

"_Now, put your right hand in my left and your left hand on your right hand on my left arm," Cal told him. Ethan did as he was told, as he held his breath. "And try to relax."_

_The two of them began dance in silence and Ethan slowly started to relax. Suddenly Cal spun his brother. Ethan shouted in surprised as Cal laughed and continued to spin him, before bringing Ethan back to him. They both laughed as they continued to slow dance. Ethan looked up at his brother. They looked into each other's eyes and stopped laughing. They remained silent for a moment as the music continued play. They began to close the gap between them, and …_

_BUZZ_

_The sound made them jump apart and Ethan realized it was his phone. He picked it up and read the message, as Cal stood silently, unsure what to say. Ethan looked up._

"_I should go," he said quietly, as he walked towards the door._

"_Eth …" Cal said as he grabbed his brother's wrist._

"_Don't, please."_

_Cal looked at him for a moment, before he nodded and let him go._

_**End flashback**_

After a few moments, Cal managed to pull himself together and left the bathroom. He walked back to reception, picked up the nearest file, and went to talk to a patient's relative. He saw out of the corner of his eyes, that Connie and Charlie were stood in a corridor, while Connie finished speaking on her phone.

"Thank you, Dixie," Connie said, as she hung up and turned to Charlie. "Next case coming from the crash site. It's Ethan. He's not in a good way."

"Mrs. Beauchamp," Cal said as he walked up to them. "You just said that was Ethan, right?"

"Yes."

"I want to treat him."

"No way," Connie said immediately. "Absolutely not. You're a family member. I'll deal with this.

"Not with that hand, you can't," Charlie interrupted. "The movement is too severely compromised."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"If you're at the sharp end of a procedure you can't take the risk of that letting you down," Charlie told her.

"Exactly," Cal agreed. "No offense, but as you've rightly said, he is my brother, and I can't risk losing him, if even the best doctor is not up to it."

"Then we need another doctor," she said.

"Who else is there?" Cal asked. "They're all tied up, right now." He paused for a moment, as he saw her thinking, before he added, "Please."

"Fine," Connie said in defeat, "but the first sign of unprofessionalism from you, and you step away. Understood?"

"Absolutely."

* * *

><p>Cal walked back into reception, and went over to Melissa who was stood in the shop. "Mel," he said. "I just wanted to say, well, you should take my number. I'm not promising that I'll be dad of the year or anything, but …"<p>

"Bringing up a kid is expensive, you know," she interrupted him with a serious tone.

"Right, yeah, of course it is," Cal said. "Maybe we should talk about that." He saw Melissa's smirk. "What, you're enjoying this?"

"Have you go his bank details yet?" Judith asked from behind them.

"We're just discussing how big the direct debit should be," Mel replied.

"Hang on," Cal interrupted. "I'm just trying to do the right thing here."

"Relax," Mel told him. "He's not yours."

Cal expression turned cold. "Is this some pathetic sort of payback?"

"It was a start."

"You know you can laugh all you want, I mean I probably deserve it," Cal said in ire, "but can you just do me one favour, before you go down the route of diagnosing your son with ADHD and shoving him full of medication, take a long hard look at how you're bringing him up."

"What do you know?" Melissa asked angrily.

"I know he's playing his computer until the early hours," he told her. "I see it in kids his age all the time. They labeled as problematic when actually all they are is sleep deprived."

"Didn't I make it clear you're not his dad?"

"No, but I am his doctor. And until you stop using the computer as an alternative form of childcare, then there won't be any improvement in his behavior."

"You almost sound like you care," Mel replied with a bite. "Doctor or not, we both know the only person you care about is yourself."

"That's not true."

"Really?" Mel asked in disbelief. "Who could you possibly care about other than yourself?"

"Ethan," Cal smiled without a second thought.

"Who?"

"My little brother," he told her. "The same little brother who is on his way to the hospital after being injured in a serious car crash. The little brother who I care about more than anyone, and he doesn't even know it." He looked at Melissa coldly. "If there was one day where you shouldn't've tried to make a fool out of me, it was today. Excuse me."

He walked away and headed towards to main entrance, where he waited with Lofty.

"You ok?" Lofty asked. "I heard about the phone call."

"Yeah," Cal replied. "I'm fine."

Just then the entrance swung open and Tamzin came rushing in, pushing a trolley. Cal ran towards her and saw Ethan, strapped down, wearing a neck collar and his face covered in blood. He tried to remain calm and focus on what Tamzin was telling him.

"Ok," she said. "Ethan was driving. He was trapped for 45 minutes. KO'd at the scene, been in and out of consciousness. He's got a chest and head injury. On arrival his GS was 30, pulse was 120, BP was stable and anti-systolic. SATS at 98%. His BM is 5." They arrived in resus. "He's had 10 of morphine and 1.5 litres of saline." She looked at Cal. "Ok?"

"Yeah," he said. "Ok, onto this bed please." They move Ethan onto the bed, and the paramedics began to leave. "Thanks guys." He turned to Ethan, who was at the moment conscious. "So, all this to get out of some public speaking, eh? There are easier ways, mate."

"Caleb," Ethan whimpered.

"Don't try and speak, alright?" Cal told him. "I know what I'm doing." He turned to Lofty. "Keep his spine immobalized and I want a full trauma scan." He began to check over Ethan's chest. Ethan groaned and tried to push his hands away. Cal chuckled slightly. "Mild-mannered Ethan is lashing out. Let's put that down as a medical first."

"BP 110 over 70. Respiratory rate slightly increasing," Lofty said.

"Another 5 of morphine for the pain and let's get some more fluids as well." He listened to Ethan's chest, as he spoke to him. "What are we thinking, possible pneumothorax?"

"Caleb," Ethan whimpered again as he grabbed Cal's wrist.

"What is it?" Cal asked. "What's wrong?"

Ethan moved Cal's hand to his stomach and whispered, "Baby."

Cal felt a tiny bump and a slight kick against his hand. He looked at his brother in shock. "You're pregnant? How far, Eth?"

"About … 8 months."

"Who's the father?"

Ethan didn't answer. Instead he moved his hand on top of Cal's and pressed gently against it. The gesture gave Cal his answer.

"Everything's going to be ok," Cal told him. "Lofty, I need an ultrasound machine." Lofty nodded, before bringing the machine over. Cal gently rubbed the wand over Ethan's stomach, while staring at the screen. The image of a baby appeared on the screen.

"Is that what I think it is?" Lofty asked in shock."

"Yeah," Cal choked. He turned to his colleagues. "Ok, you know what he's like he'll only get the lawyers involved if we don't cover every base, so let's get an urgent chest x-ray before we think about a CT. Lofty, keep a close monitor on the baby. Alright, let's get to it." He turned to the small bump. "I promise I will do whatever it takes to make sure you and your daddy are ok."

* * *

><p>"How's he doing?" Connie asked Cal, when she saw him.<p>

"He's ok," Cal answered. "His chest x-ray was clear and he's just in CT. Oh, and he's pregnant."

"What?" Connie asked in shock.

"Yeah, I know," Cal said. "He never told me either. He's approximately 8 months, he must be one of the lucky ones that barely shows."

"Ok. Well, make sure the baby is being monitored carefully."

"I'm already on it."

"Ok." Connie looked at him. "And how are you? Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Cal said with a sigh. "I'm alright."

"Ok."

* * *

><p>Cal walked into cubicles to see Max pushing Tristan towards his new room.<p>

"Finally, they've found you a room," Cal said.

"Penthouse suite," Max told him.

"Nice," Cal replied. "So, Tristan, you're gonna have to promise me that the next time you're up on that climbing frame that you're gonna hold on with both hands, ok?"

"Whatever," Tristan said.

They fist-bumped, before Max wheeled him away, and Melissa followed without a single glance towards Cal.

"Cal," Judith said.

"Look," he sighed. "I really don't need anymore agro right now."

"No," she said. "I just want to say thank you. What you said about Tristan. His behavior, sleep patterns, you're probably right and I think she knows that. Well, I know that."

"I just don't like kids getting labeled," Cal told her.

"Yeah, I can tell," she said. "And for the record, the labels that Mel and I gave you, I think you're beginning to outgrow them." She looked at him. "I hope you're brother's ok."

"Thanks."

"Goodbye, Caleb."

Judith walked away and Cal turned to see Ethan being rushed back to resus. Cal ran over to them.

"What happened?" he asked. "Let's get another blood gas."

"Give me an update," Connie demanded as soon as she walked in.

"Heartbeat racing. BP diving," Lofty informed them.

"Scan report back yet?" Connie asked.

"No," Cal told her. "He went off before they had the chance to do them. Do you think it's an intracranial bleed?"

"It's not from his head,"

"The baby's heartbeat is increasing," Lofty said.

"Ok," Connie said. "Lofty, I need you to call someone to come down here now, and do am emergency caesarian." Lofty nodded, and did as he was asked. Connie turned back to Cal. "He has a serious blunt chest trauma. Let's not discount that." She removed Ethan's neck collar. "Muffled heart sound, engorged neck vain, possible paradoxic."

"Beck's triad," Cal said.

"Someone's on their way," Lofty said.

"Yeah."

"He's got tamponade," Cal said.

"It's fine," Connie told him. "I've missed him in the past. It happens." Just then another doctor walked in.

"What have we got," the doctor asked.

"Doctor Hardy is approximately 8 months pregnant, and has a serious blunt chest trauma," Connie told him. "The safest thing for the both of them is if the baby is delivered now."

"Ok, I'm on it."

Connie turned back to Cal. "We need to do a pericardiocentesis to drain it away. I can't risk it with my wrist. You're gonna have to do it. Alright, Cal?"

"Then we need an eco," Cal suggested.

"No, there's no time," Connie told him. "We're gonna have to do it blind. Are you good, Cal?"

"Right," Cal's voice shook slightly. "Uh, I need an 80 engaged cannula on a 20 …."

"No, 50ml syringe," Connie interrupted. "Alright, you can do this." Cal took the syringe. "45 degree angle to the skin."

"Ok," Cal said.

"Under the second sternum," Connie places her finger on Ethan's chest. "About here." Cal lowered the needle to the skin. "Lofty, keep an eye on the monitor. If anything changes it means you've hit the myocardial."

Cal breaths heavily and looks up to Ethan's face. He can feel himself begin to shake. Cal put the syringe down, stepped away and tried to take deep, calming breaths. Ethan's heart monitor suddenly began to beep.

"I don't want to panic anyone, but he's in VT," Lofty told them. "Low pulse."

"Alright," Connie said calmly. "Cal, the pericardial is filling with blood and squeezing his heart. If we don't do this now, you're going to lose him, and possibly your niece or nephew, ok? You can do this.2

Cal took another deep breath. "Ok." He picked the needle again.

"45 degree angle towards the tip of the right scapula, ok?" Cal does as he's told and gently pushes the needle into Ethan's chest.

"I'm in," Cal said.

"Ok, nice and gently."

"Baby's out," the doctor said, before taking it over to the incubator.

"Lofty," Cal called.

Lofty left his place by Ethan's bed, and went over to the baby. "It's a girl," he called to Cal.

Cal smiled. Connie looked him. "Cal, the baby will be ok, but right now you need to focus on her father, ok?" Cal nodded. "Right, that should be enough." Cal pulled the plunger and blood began to fill the syringe. "There we go. Well done." She looked the monitor. "Sinus back to normal, and pressure coming back up." Cal breathed a sigh of relief. "Leave the cannula there for a moment. We need a pericardial drain."

"Thanks."

"Go to your niece," Connie told him with a smile, before she walked out.

Cal walked over to the incubator. "How is she?" he asked quietly.

The doctor looked at him. "She's perfect and healthy, despite being premature."

"Can I hold her?"

"Of course."

Cal leant over the incubator and picked up the little girl. "Hello beautiful. You look like your daddy. I remember holding your daddy when he was first born, he was so tiny and I was very protective of him. As we grew up, I stopped protecting him. I haven't been a very good brother, but I'm going to try and make it up to him from now on, starting with looking after you until daddy gets better."

Lofty heard Cal's monologue and looked up from where he was checking Ethan's monitors. "She's yours, isn't she?" he asked.

Cal looked at him in shock. "What makes you say that?"

"The way you're holding her, for a start," Lofty told him. "Just like any protective parent. Besides, I've seen the way you two are around each other."

"What do you mean?"

"The sibling rivalry. It's more than just normal siblings who have fallen out. I can see it's something deeper," Lofty told him. "And I heard what you just said. You have a lot of guilt."

"I've let him down," Cal sighed. "I've been letting him down for a lot longer than I want to admit. I don't blame him for not telling me about her." Tears began to fill his eyes. "When I heard about the crash, I was more scared than I've ever been. We had a fight this morning, it was the worst fight we've had in a long time. I thought I would never be able to make it up to him. I thought I lost him."

Lofty walked over and put a hand on Cal's shoulder. "But you didn't," he said. "The baby is ok, and in a few weeks Ethan will back to full health. You have all the time to make it up to him. You don't have to feel guilty anymore." Cal nodded. "Tell you what, why don't I take this little one to the baby unit, and you can have a few minutes. You can come and get her again when they've found him his own room."

Cal nodded again, and put the baby back into the incubator, before Lofty wheeled her out of resus. Cal walked over to this brother. He watched him for a minute, as he stroked Ethan's hair, before Cal kissed the top of his brother's head, whispered, "I love you," and walked out.

Once he was through the doors, Cal looked back at Ethan through the small window. He closed his eyes and leant his head against the door as he finally breathed in relief. He turned and found his colleagues watching him.

"How is he?" Robyn asked as he walked over to him.

"He'll live," Cal said with a slight smile.

"As tough shifts go," Charlie spoke up, "yours is pretty hard to beat, so," he gives Cal the cupcake, "reckon this is yours."

"I thought I was the judge of that," Rita said.

"My cupcake, my call," Charlie told her.

"Go on then," she said, "we'll let him have it." Cal looked at the cake, and let out a small chuckle. "What's so funny?" Rita asked.

Cal holds up the cupcake. "It was Ethan's favourite," he told them, "when we were kids." He chuckled again, before walking away.

* * *

><p>An hour later, Ethan was asleep in a side-room, wearing an oxygen mask, being monitored by two nurses, when a knock came on the door. Cal entered, carrying a pink bundle.<p>

"Could you give us a few minutes," Cal said. The nurses left, closing the door behind them. Cal walked over to the bed, and shifted the baby in his arms. "Look sweetheart," he said to her. "That's your daddy." Cal turned to Ethan. "You ever pull a stunt like that again." He sat on the chair next to the bed, holding the baby close. "Seriously, I'd be lost without you. I should've been a better son, I know that. The fact that I had you there." He took a calming breath. "My safety net."

Tears began to fall, as he looked down the little girl, before looking up again. "I can't let anything happen you, either of you. The two of you are all I've got, and I'm sorry I never told you before how much I needed you." He took another breath, and looked down. "I need you now, we both do." He looked up again. "We have a beautiful little girl, Eth, a little girl who needs both of her daddies." Tears began to fall faster. "I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you, and for all the horrible things I've said, especially recently. Even without our little one, you're still my baby brother, and I love you."

Cal paused for a minute, thinking about what we wanted to say. He began to speak again. "What I said this morning, about wishing we weren't related, I know how much that hurt you, but I need to tell you what I was too cowardly to say before. What I meant was, I love you, I'm _in love_ with you, and if we weren't related we could have all of this," he looked down at the baby, "could have our little girl without judgement of others, without fear of us being torn apart because the law says what we have is wrong," he looked up, "and I'm so sorry that I made you feel like I didn't care, that I didn't love you. Because I do, Eth, I love you more than I've ever loved anyone."

_**I wanted, I wanted you to stay**_

_**Cause I needed, I need to hear you say**_

He took another breath. "I hope one day you can forgive me for all the hurt I've caused you, but even if you don't," he paused for a second, "I promise you, I promise both of you, that I'm gonna be the best dad this little one could ever ask for." He stood from the chair, kissed his brother's head and whispered, "I love you." As he turned to leave he felt a hand grab his wrist. He turned back. "Ethan?"

_**I love you, I have love you all along**_

_**And I forgive you, for being away for far too long**_

Ethan opened his eyes and took off his oxygen mask. "Caleb, I forgive you. I love you. Please stay."

Cal smiled, kissed his brother's head and sat back down. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Ethan gave him a slight smile, before he asked, "Is baby ok?"

"She's perfect," Cal told him. "Now sleep, you need to rest."

Ethan closed his eyes, and seemed to have fallen back to sleep, when he suddenly said, "Name her."

"You want me to name her?" Cal asked. Ethan nodded. "Ok. How about Madeleine?"

"Nana's name," Ethan whispered.

"Yeah, nana's name,"

"Mum would've liked that," Ethan said.

"I'm sure she would," Cal agreed. "Now go to sleep. We'll be right here."

"I love you both," Ethan whispered as he drifted back to sleep.

Cal smiled. "We love you, too."

He watched his brother's heart-rate monitor for a few minutes, making sure everything was ok. He then leant back in the chair, holding a now sleeping Madeleine close to his chest and joined his family in sleep.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I might write a second chapter about Ethan being released from hospital.<strong>_


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